IDU NEWS

Aug 2, 2018
3 min

Don’t put new, square pegs into out-of-date, round holes

I’ve previously written about how succession planning is going to change in the Information Age. That, instead of grooming mini-me managers and leaders, we’re going to have to focus on reskilling people as their roles get encroached on by artificial intelligence. Plus, we’re going to have to start hiring people who, firstly, can work with machines, and, secondly, are flexible enough to adjust their roles and careers as the machines get more proficient – in the near future, in

Jul 24, 2018
3 min

The unintended consequences of POPI and GDPR

It feels like it is one step forward and two steps back at the moment. Yes, we’ve beefed up the protection of personal identification data with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) in South Africa, as well as its big brother, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). But I’m wondering what that means for ongoing digitalisation and innovation, as we disrupt our businesses and markets to ensure we survive in the fourth industrial age. At the

Jun 26, 2018
3 min

Sailing the digital sea

That the world is a much smaller place thanks to the internet and digital communication technology has probably not escaped anyone’s notice. But are you truly harnessing this to do your business better, and to grow beyond South Africa’s borders? Gone are the merchant vessels of yesteryear circumnavigating the globe by sea to sell your products. Today the internet creates an even more extensive marketplace at the click of a button. To me, this presents three clear benefits for

Mar 28, 2018
5 min

Unlocking An Agile Accounting House

With technology hurtling headlong into all aspects of life, from our homes, cars and workplaces, to banks, schools and hospitals, it’s no surprise that business looks to the IT world for inspiration on how to adapt and thrive. An example of this is Agile, a method of developing software that is spilling over into all aspects of business, including the finance department Agile, and being an agile organisation, is coming to the attention of the business world as a plausible way

Feb 13, 2018
3 min

In 2018, consider the cost of doing nothing

Depending on your outlook, my column last month would either have exhilarated or terrified you. And whether you are champing at the bit, wanting to embrace the new, digital future of your business or terrified at the thought of robots taking all our jobs, you will need to start making some pretty significant decisions this year. These will need to move your organisation forward, but also give you space to be nimble in the face of future seismic shifts, and finally, should avo

Dec 7, 2017
2 min

Give Inertia the Boot

Have you noticed that problems are solved and decisions are made differently today, especially by millennials? What’s the first thing that they do – and you probably do too, even if you are definitely pre-millennial? They Google it, of course. Back in my day, pre-Google, we’d probably think about what we’d done before in similar circumstances, perhaps consult whichever was the prevailing canonical guide on the topic – updated at least once a year – and maybe phone a friend. O

Oct 17, 2017
3 min

Expense management: Honing the double-edged sword

Ironically, growth and success can be a double-edged sword for small and medium-sized businesses. On the one hand, you’re growing and hitting the milestones, which is a massive achievement, especially in today’s tough economy. On the other, quite quickly things that used to be simple and straightforward acquire added levels of complexity. All of a sudden, as the business owner or FD, you simply can’t be as hands-on and omniscient as you used to be. It’s pretty daunting giving

Oct 6, 2016
3 min

Budgeting vs Planning

CORPORATE PLANNING (BUDGETING) So why would I think of corporate planning as operational? Well, l largely because it drives the immediate future of the business, which could be thought of as the next one, two or maybe, at a push, three years. It is what the banks look to when arranging finance; it is what your managers look to when striving for bonuses. So it is operational in my view, which necessitates a high level of empowerment and ownership for your team of managers who

Feb 8, 2016
1 min

IDU New Zealand to present at international Sage conference

IDU is pleased to announce that Rob Jones of IDU New Zealand will be speaking at the inaugural combined SageConnect conference in Australia, which begins on 18 February 2016. IDU New Zealand has enjoyed considerable success since it acquired the distribution rights for the idu-Concept product a few years ago. We are partnered with Sage Africa, Sage Middle East, and Sage Evolution Africa, whilst IDU New Zealand have followed a similar route with Sage Australasia. Sage is a lea

Apr 7, 2015
2 min

With great power comes great responsibility

Power has an important role to play in the business world, especially in the context of leadership. Leaders need power in order to get results, but they also need to be accountable for the results of that power and understand the value in empowering others. In broad strokes, power can be used in two ways, for good or for evil, and we are all familiar with the great examples of power and leadership found in the annals of superheroes. There are lessons to be learned from all th

Jun 30, 2014
2 min

If Poker is just a game of chance then so is business

If you don’t know what you’re doing in poker, you can lose with the best hand at the table. Conversely, if you’re skilled and a little lucky, you can win with the worst hand. Not always, but often enough to tip the odds in your favour in the long run. It’s exactly the same in business. We don’t get to choose the hands we’re dealt — but we do get to choose how we play them. To succeed, you must know the rules, learn to calculate odds, take calculated risks and know your oppon

Feb 3, 2014
2 min

Transparency – the solution to business and government corruption

Some days it feels like there is a new story of bribery, corruption or nepotism in our papers every day, but this is the case wherever there is power in the hands of a few and little or no accountability. This is sadly not only rampant in governments everywhere, but in businesses as well. In both cases, the introduction of transparency into their financial transactions, from their budgets and forecasts to their reporting, can make the world of difference. Beyond making any an

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